The principals at Copaken Brooks hope to say a lot with three little words.

The Kansas City commercial real estate firm has completed a rebranding effort with Trozzolo Communications Group that resulted in a new logo and tagline: Do better deals.

Many Kansas Citians are aware that Copaken Brooks, formerly Copaken White & Blitt, has done development deals resulting in landmark developments such as Oak Park Mall, Plaza Colonnade and Town Pavilion — the largest office building in Kansas City and home to Copaken Brooks.

What many don't know about, Jon Copaken said, is the wide array of services the firm now provides for clients. Hence, the new subjectless tagline, which hints at others doing deals with Copaken Brooks' help.

After the September 2010 merger of Copaken White & Blitt and First Scout Realty Advisors, the new entity, Copaken Brooks, became a full-service commercial real estate firm.

Before the merger, Copaken White & Blitt focused on development, leasing and property management for its landlords: 35 investment groups, most including the firm's principals. First Scout, on the other hand, focused on tenant representation and third-party brokerage.

Now Copaken Brooks offers tenant and corporate services, third-party brokerage, management, and development and investment services.

"We are a 92-year-old company with a decidedly entrepreneurial attitude," said Bucky Brooks, a principal who formerly led First Scout. "Since the merger, we've found a tremendous synergy that has deepened our ability to serve clients better."

Jon and Keith Copaken, the firm's other two principals, said they used to be more reserved about touting their business, letting their projects do the talking instead. But winning the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce's top small business honor, the Mr. K Award, last year inspired a new approach.

"The Mr. K Award honor prompted us to take a close look at what we do well," Jon Copaken said. "We're taking the opportunity to tell our story better, as our clients have encouraged us to do."

The new logo features a stylized "CB" reflective of a new commercial structure going vertical. It and the tagline are part of a broader rebranding of the company, which employs 80. The new brand focuses on the firm's experience, client-oriented culture and full-service capabilities.

"With our rebranding, we choose to think about serving our clients in ways that benefit them, such as wealth creation, problem solving, trusted counsel, legacy development and strategic partnership," Keith Copaken said. "What's really great is that while each of our firms did this pre-merger, the merger helped us discover new and exciting ways to do that with all of our clients. The new brand helps us express that."

Copaken Brooks has worked with clients in all 50 states, Keith Copaken added, but it continues to concentrate on the Kansas City area.

During the past three years, he said, the firm has leased 650,000 square feet of office space in Kansas City's central business district. That represents 75 percent of all CBD leasing and 67 percent of all leasing in Downtown and Crown Center during that span.

Meanwhile, Brooks said, the firm has become a big acquisition player, as evidenced by its bidding for a Lenexa industrial and office portfolio that eventually sold to Hines Interests LP for $89 million late last year.

Although Copaken Brooks and its investors are in a buying mode, Jon Copaken said, the firm also is preparing to market several key investor holdings. Among them are a tract near Sprint Center at 13th Street and Grand Boulevard that is owned by a Copaken Brooks investment group. Tax increment financing and a 370,000-square-foot office development have been approved for the site. But Jon Copaken said the firm could work with a buyer or partner to alter the usage and develop the property.

"Our development skills are easily translated to third-party deals," he said.

Copaken Brooks also is marketing its investors' 40 acres at College Boulevard and Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park, 50 acres in the Lenexa City Center development, and parcels west of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

The firm has development and brokerage expertise in office, retail and industrial sectors and now is exploring a big multifamily project with a joint venture partner that has expertise in that sector, the principals said.